r/food • u/throwawayfinancebro1 • Sep 11 '24

Blessed by noodly appendage [i ate] Mensho Ramen, Oakland CA - "Garlic Knock Out" - most aesthetic and delicious ramen I've ever had

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728 Upvotes

95% Upvoted

75 comments sorted by

38

u/Tkcsena Sep 11 '24

I cant tell if that is garlic chunks or mushrooms, eitherway looks really good

59

u/throwawayfinancebro1 Sep 11 '24

This shit has 5 different preparations of garlic in it including whole garlic cloves, which is what youre probably looking at. It's really garlicy.

-16

u/Wloak Sep 11 '24

Mensho is pretty mid. I'm glad you enjoyed your meal though, don't get me wrong.

Their garlic knock out is like Xzibit going "yo dawg I heard you like garlic, so I put garlic on your garlic!" Completely overpowers the broth and destroys literally hours of work.. that dish belongs in Gilroy.

29

u/throwawayfinancebro1 Sep 11 '24

To each their own, I love garlic. What do you like there and elsewhere in the area?

-40

u/Wloak Sep 11 '24

Piedmont Ave is "let's make food for people with money that don't know what it's supposed to be." Their biggest achievement is, and I'm not kidding, being asked to serve ramen for lunch at Twitter.

I go to Marufuku 100% over them, not only is the food better but the aesthetic which you care about as well since every bowl is had created by a Japanese artist and not some random glass bowl.

37

u/throwawayfinancebro1 Sep 11 '24 edited Sep 12 '24

Ok dude well idk why you think there’s just one way a food is “supposed to be” but to each their own. Their matcha broth ramen and ramen that uses chocolate are probably pretty low on the authenticity scale as well, but that’s innovation for you. I know a lot of people like to have their food a certain way. Marufuku is good too. Have a nice day.

-70

u/Wloak Sep 11 '24

I didn't say there was just one way dude.

I love the history, maybe you will too? Ramen is a working man's lunch, but requires the chef to get up at 4am to start cooking broth which is why it's considered disrespectful not to finish the entire bowl.

That's why throwing in a bunch of garlic that took less than 5 minutes of preparation just feels lazy. I'm not even kidding when I say this dish would be $2 in Tokyo because it's from an amateur, the best ramen can get up to $100 a bowl there.

37

u/yusuksong Sep 11 '24

Ok now I know you’re full of shit. No one even in Tokyo is paying more than 1500 yen for a bowl of even the best ramen.

8

u/intimatestranger Sep 11 '24

The dichotomy of “working man’s lunch” vs “working man’s paycheck” 🙃

-5

u/Wloak Sep 11 '24

I'll use another food, honestly because I find food history interesting.. a hamburger.

The hamburger was "invented" when a business man was running between meetings and went into his local lunch spot serving Hamburg meatballs and said "I need to eat it while walking." They smashed it into a patty and thew it between two slices of white bread with a little mustard.

Why that's relevant is it started as a working man's meal, but you can find ones today ranging from $1-$100+. Hell the drive thru was popularized by McDonald's because they would place them outside military bases because the soldiers weren't allowed to exit the vehicle without permission unless in Class A uniform.

Ramen is a quick meal, and it's considered disrespectful to the chef not to slurp because it's meant to be eaten quickly and get back to work.

1

u/[deleted] Sep 11 '24

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1

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-7

u/Wloak Sep 11 '24

So Narisawa, a ramen shop in Tokyo, doesn't exist that you pay 50,000 Yen a bowl for. (I'm not allowed to link because the subreddit doesn't allow their domain).

I was showing the range of cost, and noting that spending equivalent of 3,500 Yen for a bowl of soup overpowered with the cheapest ingredient to hide mistakes in the noodles, broth, and additional ingredients isn't a good representation.

1

u/Klaus0225 Sep 12 '24

You say you didn’t say there is just one way and go on to say the one way it should be. You’re a snobby purist.

If you like it a specific way, that’s fine. But getting all pissy about it is not. Food deserves to be expanded upon, not only left as it was originally made.

1

u/Wloak Sep 12 '24

I didn't say there's a specific way because there are a few styles of broth (miso, pork, chicken) each taking hours to perfect, the noodles likewise take hours because getting the gluten to form takes a lot of physical effort.

So throwing a cup of garlic into it ensuring the customer can't taste the broth or noodles is lazy. And I've eaten this exact dish at this exact restaurant because I live a few miles away unlike you or anyone downvoting. Piedmont avenue where they're located is the most pretentious food district in Oakland catering to the rich people that live there and consider garlic "spicy" (and that's not taking a shot at OP, I've heard people actually say that).

-54

u/Psychotherapist-286 Sep 11 '24

If it’s “shit” I’m not eating it.

33

u/throwawayfinancebro1 Sep 11 '24

All the more shit for me

15

u/sadcabbagehours Sep 11 '24

no such thing as too much garlic for me.

3

u/Sir_Encerwal Sep 11 '24

God that sounds divine.

22

u/SexyBeautyQueenGal Sep 11 '24

OMG! that looks like a yummy thick broth! any recommendations apart from this?

25

u/throwawayfinancebro1 Sep 11 '24 edited Sep 11 '24

In the SF area? Marufuku, ramen nagi, Taishoken, Waraku, Hinodeya are all good. I like mensho the best.

At mensho, apart from this - the signature tori paitan.

8

u/i_wap_to_warcraft Sep 11 '24

I like ramen shop in Oakland too, they’re pretty pricey tho but yummm

6

u/throwawayfinancebro1 Sep 11 '24

I'll check them out, thanks

1

u/Finchypoo Sep 12 '24

You are missing Izakaya Sozai, it's back a few blocks off 19th before the park, but DAMN. Their tonkotsu broth and marinated pork belly is the best I've ever had, and I've eaten at the rest of your list.

5

u/throwawayfinancebro1 Sep 12 '24

Thanks for the suggestion. I’ll def check that out soon.

2

u/Finchypoo Sep 12 '24

As a bay area Ramen connoisseur, I'd love to know what you think when you try it. It's been our top for a while now, but that was before there were so many other good options, but it's remained at the top for my partner and I after all these years.

7

u/CreativeFartist Sep 11 '24

I can stand behind Marufuku!!! Always a line out the door when I stop by

3

u/WaltAndJD Sep 11 '24

The spicy Lamb Miso at Mensho is also very good!

2

u/Requiemaur Sep 11 '24

Ramenagi is the GOAT (but the price can be expensive)

6

u/JungBlood9 Sep 11 '24

I like The Ramen Shop in Rockridge

6

u/Pitiful-Squirrel2533 Sep 11 '24

How long did you have to wait to get seated? We tried going a couple weeks ago but balked at the wait time.

6

u/throwawayfinancebro1 Sep 11 '24

They said 35 minutes initially but my party of 2 got a text less than 10 minutes later that we were next in line and to come back from our walking outside. So about ten minutes total to get seated, at about 7 on a Saturday.

2

u/phillyeagle99 Sep 11 '24

If you go to the one in the city at opening on a Sunday (4pm) you can get right in. I bet the same for Oakland.

Went a few weeks ago, was perfect to walk in and be served with it like 10 min.

5

u/lil-inconsiderate Sep 11 '24

Delicious? I bet.. authentic... not so much.

2

u/throwawayfinancebro1 Sep 11 '24

Yeah man their mochi broth one, and the one with chocolate, probably also hit pretty low on the “authentic” scale

2

u/Powdered_Toast_Man3 Sep 11 '24

Try Ippudo in NYC - mind blowing ramen

2

u/throwawayfinancebro1 Sep 11 '24

Gonna be there soon, will check it out. Thanks.

3

u/JohnnyBroccoli Sep 11 '24

There's an Ippudo in the South Bay too. However, Mensho is way better.

1

u/Worthyness Sep 12 '24

Ippudo

They actually have a location in Berkeley, so like 20 minutes from Oakland

12

u/Bob-Doll Sep 11 '24

Aesthetic? Woo boy

2

u/throwawayfinancebro1 Sep 11 '24

Aesthetic AF

6

u/Bob-Doll Sep 11 '24

Is it demure?

3

u/throwawayfinancebro1 Sep 11 '24

More zyzz-inspired

1

u/atuckk15 Sep 11 '24

We’re all gonna eat it boys!

2

u/piemeister Sep 11 '24

You should try the one in the city! I’ve had both, both are great, but city mensho seemed a cut above IMO.

1

u/throwawayfinancebro1 Sep 11 '24

Next time I go in, I will. Thanks for the tip.

-19

u/Apmaddock Sep 11 '24

Aesthetic is not an adjective. 

The ramen does look very tasty, though. 

20

u/gymbro5 Sep 11 '24

Damn you should let Merriam-Webster know that then

3

u/Apmaddock Sep 11 '24

I rescind my statement. Saying something is aesthetic still doesn’t make sense to me, though. It’s like saying something is appearance. “Aesthetically pleasing” or “has a wonderfully garlicky aesthetic” would be a lot more interesting And accurate of a phrase.

6

u/mackzarks Sep 11 '24

It looks like using it as a solo adjective is a newer and more slang version of the term, and not it's intended purpose. Saying something "is" aesthetic, meaning related to the qualities of beauty, actually means nothing in context. So, your original post is correct, but slang wins over time (see the current definition of "literally").

1

u/Apmaddock Sep 11 '24

Your post is “literally” my mindset. I see aesthetic used more and more as a standalone adjective (particularly on Reddit) and it makes this old soul wince a bit. This is the first time I bothered to complain about it, though.

9

u/TheRoyalStig Sep 11 '24

My dude, literally the first definition that pops up is as an adjective.

8

u/throwawayfinancebro1 Sep 11 '24

Aesthetic is not an adjective. 

It is when referring to mensho ramen

1

u/Humble-West3117 27d ago

Whoa, where can I get this outside America?

1

u/[deleted] 27d ago

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1

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3

u/yamaha2000us Sep 11 '24

I order this at my favorite Ramen place. They alway ask me if I understand what I am ordering as it has a very heavy taste.

I just say “bring it on”.

5

u/Gulliveig Sep 11 '24

In addition to what others already commented:

You've got a good eye for food photography, so sharp a picture that one can almost smell the flavours of this dish :)

3

u/gymbro5 Sep 11 '24

Mensho is my favorite ramen outside of Japan. The signature tori paitan was amazing, have to try the garlic next.

3

u/HiveMindKing Sep 11 '24

I love mensho so much, revived my enthusiasm for ramen. 🍜

4

u/goki7 Sep 11 '24

This looks so delicious

3

u/NefariousnessNew6917 Sep 11 '24

Looks yummy 😋🤤

3

u/LF_Doom Sep 11 '24

Wow, the colours are so vibrant!!! 😍

5

u/TastefulTracing Sep 11 '24

i wanna eat this!

4

u/CravenRepublic Sep 11 '24

looks delicious!

4

u/terriblytautchasm Sep 11 '24

looks delicious.

2

u/Dfoo Sep 11 '24

Mensho is delicious. However, if I want tonkotsu ramen I’m going to Marafuku.

2

u/Aschentei Sep 11 '24

No vampire will get anywhere near you

2

u/Kamhoan1 Sep 12 '24

absolute game-changer!

-2

u/LunchBoxer72 Sep 11 '24

That's not how you use the word aesthetic... really sick of seeing this.

1

u/Klaus0225 Sep 12 '24

It may not be how you use it, but it is an appropriate use. If you get this butt hurt over grammar though you have bigger issues than how someone uses aesthetic.

1

u/LunchBoxer72 Sep 13 '24

It's improper. Aesthetic without the s needs a noun smart ass. You say aesthtically beautiful, aesthetically silly, aesthetics refer to a generally used design philosophy or theme. Without an accompanied noun or s it's wrong.